Ohio’s most recent change in graduation requirements has allowed LCS the opportunity to reflect on its current graduation requirements and recommend a few minor changes. District administrators and staff have been discussing the changes since the beginning of the year. London requires its graduates to earn 22 credits, two credits above the state minimum, in order to graduate. The district is not changing the total number of credits needed to earn a London diploma, but is considering a slight change to the makeup of the 22 credits.
Ohio requires all students to receive instruction in financial literacy sometime during their high school career. The state does not dictate that this be a specific course. Districts around the state have fulfilled this requirement in a variety of ways including offering a stand alone course, integrating financial literacy into another course like government, offering an online course with a pass/fail option, etc. Local district graduation requirements require students to receive 0.5 credits in economics and financial literacy. The scheduling of this course often presents a barrier to students in taking other necessary coursework. For example, recent changes in Ohio’s graduation requirements dictate students show competency in two of twelve possible “graduation seals.”
LHS is proposing the requirement for students to earn 0.5 credits in economics and financial literacy be removed and the district’s financial literacy requirement either be fulfilled by integrating the curriculum into another course or by student’s taking an online curricular option. This would allow more flexibility for students to fulfill other graduation requirements. In particular, this would allow students to take a course in technology, which would fulfill Ohio’s requirement for the Technology Seal.
Although not a change in graduation requirements, LCS is also exploring the option for students to complete health and physical education requirements at London Middle School. Ohio allows students in middle school to complete courses for graduation, which in middle school so long as students complete the same high school curriculum and the curriculum is taught by an appropriately credentialed teacher. London students already have the option to earn physical education credits through participation in interscholastic athletics, marching band, or cheerleading for at least two full seasons.
The planning of these changes continue as the district works to receive input from stakeholders.